An unprecedented underwater survey by City University of Hong Kong has found that Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour is home to more than 30 coral species, and a high density of scallops is also found in Fat Tong Chau.

Cleaning up Victoria Harbour is important for the enhancement of the marine environment, public health, long-term leisure and amenity value of the coastal areas. The Government has been taking steps to protect this unique marine environment. Following the commissioning of Harbour Area Treatment Scheme (HATS) Stage 1 in 2001 and Stage 2A in 2015, quality of the coastal waters in Victoria Harbour has become the priority. 

The research showed that the Victoria Harbour has a rich biodiversity, and underscored the potential for the recovery of benthic habitats and the restoration of marine ecosystems in the vicinity. Researchers attributed the high level of biodiversity to the success of the harbour area treatment scheme (HATS) by the government in the early 2010s, which significantly improved water quality.

Researchers now proceed to the second stage of the project, and plan to map coral growth and upload results to special website for public education.